Switch-point protector



May 24; 1927. 1.629.817

R. G. DETMER SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR Filed Sept. .5. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 24, 1927. 1,629,817

R. G. DETMER SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR Fild Sept. 2.5. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet I Patented May 24, 1 927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

RALPH G. DETMER, OF I-IAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGrIN'OR TO THE AMERICAN FROG .86 SWITCH COMPANY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

swrromrom'r PROTECTOR.

' Application filed September 25, 1925. Serial No. 58,674.

My invention relates to means for protectng the switch point in tracks for railways. In railways as heretofore usually constructed, the switch points were subjected to rubbing contact by the flanges of the wheels passing thereover, resulting in wear of the swit'chpoints; and, further, the outer faces of the flanges of the wheels traveled against the inner face of thehead of the rail'at the 10 switch point, so that, if the switch point, when thrown, were spaced from said inner face, due for instance to wear in the switch shifting means, there was a tendency for the flange of awheel to enter said space and thus split the switch, which often occurred,

resulting in accidents.

It is the object of my invention to avoid these objections, and to provide novel means for controlling the' lateral position of the wheels at the switch point further, to provide a track wall extending above the rail "at the side of the railopposite tothe side thereof at which the switch point is located; further, to provide a novel combined trackwall and brace for the rail; further, to

provide ,novel means for fixing the lateral relation between a track wall and the rail at-the switch point; further, toprovide novel arrangement of rail, track wall trackwall and brace for the rail, and,'fu rther, to provide an integral track wall, tie plate and brace for the rail.

' The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a section of track s and tie plate; further, to provide an integral.

causes. My improved protector is referabk 15 comprises the switch rails 16, 17,'connected by a rod- 18, with which a link 19, of a switch stand 20, is articulated at 21, the

operating lever 22 being employed to throw the switch in usual manner.

r The switch point of the main rail switch is represented at 25. My improved device is exemplified as placed in adjacency to the latter, for protecting the switch of the main est need of protection, as the traffic there- =over in the direction of the main trackis speedier and heavier in practice than over track, as itis this switch which is in greatthe turnout. track. My improved device may of course be employed in other relations.

A track structure is placed in adjacency to the switch point 25, being placed at'the side of the rail opposite to the side of said rail at which the switch point is located, and

having a' lateral wall 26, so placed that the end 27 of the wheel 28 contacts said wall,

for "positioning said. wheel in such manner that its flange29 is spaced, as,at'30, later- 7 Tally from the switch point, inorder to readily clear said switch point, even if said switch point should be'spaced laterally from the rail 12, which frequently occurs in practice, due towearin the joints of the'sw'itch stand and its connections, and from other vided'with a; riding face 31 for the outer end of the tread 32 .of the wheel, this face being shown on a wall 33. The face 31 has sloping ends 34, 35, forming easer extensions on the wall 33, sloping below the top of the rail "12, so as to raise the tread of the wheel, in

order to permit its lateral movement to be accomplished with case, even through said tread should have a peripheral rail groove worn therein. 7 v

The wall 26 is "provided with laterally sloping ends 41, 42, which slopes away from the rail, forming laterally sloping easer-ear tensions, in order to move the wheel laterally, so that its flange 29 shall be moved away from the rail, when the end face 27 of the tread ofthe wheel coacts with the portion of the wall 26 substantially opposite to the point of the switch.

The guide walls for the wheel are shown located'on a block 4 comprising a web and a base 46 having a flange l7 provided with holes 48, in which the securing means, shown as spikes 49, for securing the block to the road bed, for instance ties 50, 51, are located.

The block is further preferably provided with braces 52, 53, 54, received in the side channel of the rail. The braces preferably bear against the under side of the head of the rail and against the face of the web of the rail in said channel, for bracing the rail against lateral stresses. The braces 52, 54, form end walls to substantially close the ends of the space between said block and said rail. v

Tie plates 61, (52,v are provided for said block, these tie plates being preferably in tegral with said block, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The block, including said riser wall, the lateral positioning wall, and the rail braces, is preferably an integral structure, being, for instance, an integral steel casting containing manganese. I have in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive exemplified the tie plates as integral-parts of said structure or casting.

The tie-plates 61, 62, are preferably provided with seats 63 for the base 64; of the rail 12, the seat having a shoulder 65 to limit lateral displacement of said rail. The

rail and the protector structure are thus securely relatively fixed in lateral relation, to insure that the upright flange of the protector shall move the wheel laterally and to insure that lateral displacement ofithe rail shall not take place, in order-that the flange of the wheel shall be placed in definitely spaced relation to the switch point' when passing the latter to prevent splitting of the switch,

The tie-plate 62 is exemplified as having a portion 66 which serves as a slide plate for theswitch rail. The tie plates are provided with holes (57, 68, through which the fastening means, as spikes 6D, 70, for fastening the structure and the rail to the ties, are received.

I have, in Figs. (1' and 7, shown a modification, in which the tie plates are formed separate from the block proper. In these figures parts which are similar to the parts shown in the balance of the figures are designated by snnllar but primed reference numerals. In the modification exemplified,

the tie plates, one of which is shown at 71, are each provided. with a seat 72 in which the block 4st and therail 12 are received, the block and therail having lateral contact with each other, and the scat being provided with lateral shoulders 73, 74:, against which the spaced apart edges of the block and rail impinge, for laterally definitely positioning the block, the rail and the tie plate. Asecuring device, as a spike 75, is driven through mating holes in the base of the block and the tie plate into the tie. A portion 76 of the tie plate serves as a slide plate for the switchrail.

The tie plate is shown as extending across the track, being provided with shoulders 81 at its other end, .for laterally positioning the rail 11", and a portion 82 which serves as a slide plate for the switch rail .16, the rail 11 being located in a groove 83 in said tie plate. The inner edges of the bases of the rails 11 and 12 may be fastened to the road bed, as by means of spikes similar to the spikes 69, 70, driven into the ties.

My improved device is simple, extremely rigid, comprises} few parts, and prevents lateral displacement between the parts, and is so arranged that the weight of therail and of the vehicle passing thereover aids in holding the parts in proper relations.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. In combination, an upright wall, a riser wall and bracing means rigidly connected, said upright wallhaving an upright face arranged to be contacted by the end of the tread of a wheel, said bracing means arranged to be received in the side channel of the rail over-which said wheel is arranged to ride and to coact with the walls of said side channel for bracing the rail, and said riser wall provided with a downwardly sloping end arranged to raise said tread with relation to said rail.

2. An integral switch point protector con1- prising a wheel positioning side wall. having a laterally sloping wheel contacted. end for positioning the wheel laterally, a riser wallhaving a downwardly sloping end portion for positioning the wheel vertically, a rail seat, a slide seat for the switchpoint, and a rail brace between said walls and said seats received in the side channel of the rail and coacting with the walls of said side channel for bracing said rail.

8. A switch point protector for a switch rail, arranged to be placed alongside the main rail opposite the point of the switch rail, comprising a box-lil e casting including an outer wall having an upward extension extending above the level of the riding face of the main rail, a riser wall bet-ween said wardly sloping end face arranged to be con- 5 tacted by the end of the tread portion of the wheel for moving the flange of the wheel inwardly beyond the switch point, said riser Wall provided with a downwardly sloping end face for raising all portions ofthe tread of the Wheelpassing 'thereover as high as the level of the riding face of the main rail,

a bottom Wall forming flanges at the respec- .tive sides of said outer Wall, and end walls receivedin the side channel of the main rail 10 and coacting With the wall of said channel for bracing the main rail.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.-

RA PH GTVDETMER. 

